Hand-held (portable) lighting devices, such as portable lanterns and flashlights, have long been in use for a variety of purposes and come in diffrerent designs. The most common portable lighting device is tile conventional flashlight. The typical flashlight design incorporates a cylindrical battery housing adapted to hold one or more standard dry cell batteries. Coupled to one end of the battery housing is a lamp assembly. The lamp assembly provides a protective covering for a lamp. Tile lamp assembly generally includes a conical, mirrored reflector to focus light from the lamp in a narrow output beam, as well as a clear lamp cover to shield the lamp from impact and moisture. The lamp assembly is typically threadably connected to the battery housing, so that one electrical contact or lead of the lamp is held in electrical connection with one terminal of the battery. A switch, most often located on the battery housing, regulates operation of the lamp by electrically connecting or disconnecting a second battery terminal to a second contact or lead of the lamp. Alternative switch designs place the lamp in electrical connection with a lead extending from the second battery terminal, for example by positioning the lamp assembly closer to the battery housing to advance the lamp closer to the lead.
Portable lighting devices have also been designed to be used as headlamps. One headlamp is designed to be attached to the side of the head. Such headlamps generally have a strap that is wrapped around the head of the wearer. The headlamp body, typically a flashlight, is attached to the strap so that the light projects forward. Another headlamp design has a lamp assembly and battery housing that is positioned on the forehead of the wearer. Alternatively, the battery housing can be attached to the belt of the wearer and electrically connected to lamp assembly by electrical wires. Other headlamps are designed to be clipped to a hat or strapped to the head of the user.
Portable lighting devices such as headlamps and flashlights are designed for different uses, however. When these portable lighting devices are used in other modes, they are generally awkward to use. For example, a flashlight mounted to the side of the head as a headlamp can be awkward to use because the weight is non-uniformly distributed to one side of the wearer's head. Similarly, headlamp designs, such as those designed to be attached to a hat or to the forehead of the user, are typically not ergonomically suitable for handheld use. In applications where both flashlights and headlamps may be required, the user can be required to provide both such devices. Thus, there is a need for a portable lighting device that is convertible between a flashlight and headlamp.